Living with the Dead
by ChocolateRosePetals
Summary: A mishap in the Forbidden Forest leaves Al with a strange rock that centaurs claim once was Harry's. While the people he meets through the stone try to persuade him that life can be grand, all Al wants to do is escape his own life and live with the dead.
1. Mysterious Rock

_**Summary: A mishap in the Forbidden Forest leaves Al with a strange rock that centaurs claim once was Harry's. While the people he meets through the stone try to persuade him that life can be grand, all Al wants to do is escape his own life and live with the dead.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

Chapter 1:

Mysterious Rock

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"C'mon Al, don't be such a wimp," taunted James as he pushed his younger brother closer and closer to the Forbidden Forest. Albus was trying hard not to go, but he was useless against the strength of his brother. "Seriously! It is a tradition for everybody in their first year of Hogwarts to go inside for a quick look."

This was a blatant lie for Harry specifically told his sons to never go in to the Forbidden Forest. The way Harry explained the dangers of the forest only excited James and scared Al to a bad case of the hic-ups.

"Please," cried Albus while small tears leaked down his eyes, "I really don't want to go in and it is against school rules."

Dirt flew up in little clods as the young boy's feet skated reluctantly against the ground. Small prods to stop his brother were useless and only added length to James' grin. No matter how hard he protested James managed to deliver him to the mouth of the woods.

"What kind of Potter are you? It is just some forest!" laughed James, he kept pushing his brother further and further in to the woods when Al suddenly went limp in his arms. "Al?" he inquired slowly fearing the worst. Another laugh escaped his mouth when he realized Al had simply fainted.

"Have fun…" jeered James before dropping his brother on the rocky dirt and running away.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Al awoke thanks to a small flutter on his nose. He opened his eyes to see a hairy spider crawling about as though his face was its territory. A scream so loud, that would have disturbed the evilest of creatures, echoed from his mouth as he flung the spider off of his face nearly swinging his glasses away.

"James?" he tentatively called, doubting that his brother would have left him here. Then he remembered he was talking about James Sirius Potter, notoriously known to ruin birthday parties and play pranks on his own brother.

Slowly Al walked from his spot when he stopped abruptly; he absolutely had no idea where he was in this great forest. From every massive tree to the abundance of plants looked the same no matter how hard he stared.

Taking a chance Al walked in the same direction he was going in when he tripped in to a mud puddle. His glasses skirted off his face and landed directly in the middle of the puddle. When he reached to grab the glasses he grabbed a rock instead. The rock was fairly large with a strange crack in the middle. Finding it to be very strange, Al grabbed and pocketed the stone while earning a small scrape on his finger from it.

Employing some of his father's naughtiest words, Al grabbed his glasses and attempted to clean them off on a grassy patch. "Who are you?" questioned a voice from behind.

Al stiffened at the low voice. With deep breaths he turned around and almost fainted once more. A centaur, he knew this thanks to a book of magical creatures from his youth, of great beauty with his blonde mane- streaked with grey- and blue eyes was staring back at him waiting for an answer. "A-albus, er… sir," stumbled Al cursing his stutter that he always acquired when afraid.

The centaur let out a start before calling loudly, "Come all! The son of the Boy who lived has returned to retrieve the stone." Al had a small hatred that he looked like a miniature version his father- this fact always led to questions about his dad or even fake friends who only wanted to say they knew Harry Potter's son.

"What stone?" asked Al shaking away the "Boy Who Lived" comment. The memory of the rock that had cut him flooded his brain so he pulled out the rock that had hid in the mud puddle. "This one?"

A small neigh of glee erupted from the centaur. "Yes, the stone with immense powers to retrieve the dead."

Memories of his dad's life reminded him a tale of dead bodies being resurrected. "Like inferi?" Even now the thought of the dead bodies as puppets scared him.

"No, more like ghosts," answered the centaur ruffling his nose while trying to think of a better word then ghost. When he did not think of one the centaur continued on, "this is the Resurrection stone and it belongs to you."

Al looked down at the mysterious rock but all he saw was a rock, a rock with a weird crack. "B-but I did not leave it here."

"Your father did so now it belongs to you," answered the centaur impatiently. He neighed in annoyance before stating fiercely, "Now get away from here!"

The centaur watched as the small boy ran away in fear, while clutching the rock, in the wrong direction. "Turn around unless you want to run into a cove of spiders!" Al shrieked before rushing past him in the opposite direction.

"Why did you let that poor lad take the rock," inquired another centaur as he approached his familiar who was laughing at the boy. "You and I both know that the stone holds dark powers to it and you put that on the boy!"

It was obvious that the centaur Al was talking to was older than the newer centaur with his rich browns hair and even richer brown eyes. "Jayson trust me when I saw that boy needs the Resurrection stone."

"You are very weird Firenze," remarked Jayson casually, but Firenze only laughed back in reply, "but I respect you for you are an elder." The two galloped away to their clan with hopes that the boy would use the stone for great use…or fall into the dangerous clutches like the oldest original owner.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_**Do you like?**_

_**Reviews are great!**_


	2. Laugh a Little

_**Thank you for reading!**_

_**Enjoy!**_

Chapter 2:

Laugh a Little

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Why can't James leave me alone," cried Al miserably. He slammed his dorm door shut and collapsed on his bed in tears. Lucky enough for him, no one was in the room; probably because the other guys were heading to their afternoon class.

He was just eating lunch, with Rose for she always acted kind to him, when James called him a wimp in front of the entire table. Al could do nothing but punch his brother in the side, but to James it felt like a butterfly tap. In retaliation, James dumped an entire pitcher on his head. Rose tried to get him back, but the laughter of the children and punch seeping through his shirt got to him so he ran away to his dorm.

"Ow," mumbled the boy as he rolled over on the pillow for one side was becoming too wet with the juice. He threw his pillow at the edge of the bed and there laid the rock from where he hid it this morning.

While he was trying to get dressed he found the rock in a pair of socks. Wanting to avoid questions from the boys he shoved it under his pillow and continued dressing.

Now the stone laid in his palm like a jewel. Casually he twisted it in his palm, but the rock rolled back in forth with nothing magical happening to it.

"Hey," called a voice from the other side of his bed.

Al turned over and shrieked for there stood a misty grey-colored man in front of him. He dropped the rock and at the same moment the man disappeared.

Quickly, Al picked the rock off the floor, while managing to thump his head on the bed, and waited for the man to reappear. When nothing happened Al tried tossing the rock and on the third turn, he reappeared.

"Wow, next time do not interrupt me…" remarked the man casually before letting out a very familiar laugh.

"You remind me of Uncle George," commented Al as he grabbed his pillow and hugged it to his small frame- his mother always told him he would grow bigger and stronger like his dad one day.

The misty man rolled his eyes playfully. He wore a shirt with the letter F etched on it. Al could also make out several freckles that were also grey. "Go on," prompted the man with a grin.

"Are you his twin?" Fred nodded like the answer was obvious. "But you are…"

"Dead…" supplied Fred lazily even though the fact tended to upset him.

"Holy cow," was the only remark Al had to offer. Already his palms were sweating, but he kept a steady grip on the rock.

Fred floated over to the bed and sat down without leaving a dent. "Speaking of "holy" how is my twin?"

Staring at Fred as though he might attack him, he answered, "Fine. He still runs that joke shop and married Auntie Angelina. They have two kids: Fred II and Roxanne."

"He married Angelina," exclaimed Fred happily while slapping his knee. "I always knew she liked him more. And he named his kid after me…how sentimental." Fred grabbed his heart as though struck, but laughed while doing so. Even Al had to join in with him.

"So let me guess you are Harry's kid? Did he marry Gin?" Al winced at being recognized as his father, but he nodded all the same. "I knew they would end up together even after he broke up with her. So how many more did she pop out?"

Al quickly told him about his siblings and other cousins while Fred nodded appreciatively. It felt good to be listened to like the way Fred did. He actually listened because he cared, not because he had a duty to or because he was a Potter.

"May I ask why you are crying and wet?" questioned Fred when Al finished.

"James dumped a pitcher of juice on me," he admitted, more tears threatened to appear, but he kept them at bay.

"So did you get him back?" he prodded Al giving him an icy shock. "Sorry about that."

"No," answered Al sadly while ignoring the icy shiver. He never ever thought about revenge against his brother. Once he tried to get James back, but that only ended badly for him with a bruised cheek and his favorite book shredded.

Fred jumped up in anger. "He does that to you and you didn't get him back!" he exploded scaring Al slightly.

Discarding the pillow to take up a more defensive stance, Al retaliated with, "Well he might get a detention…" Of course Al knew that sounded stupid, but it made him sound less like a wimp.

Fred still thought he was a wimp for he commented, "Look you have Ginny Weasley and James Potter blood in you! Somewhere deep down a prank is brewing in your mind."

Al closed his eyes in thought only to open them quickly with no thoughts for revenge. "Nope nothing. Who can I get to help me with a prank?"

"Uh, hello!" shouted Fred slightly hurt. He jumped up on Al's trunk, spread his arms out wide, and stated in a manly voice. "You have Fred Weasley, one of the greatest pranksters at school since James Potter and Sirius Black made their debut!" He climbed down and flashed his nephew a smile. "Now let us put our heads together and get your brother."

Al could not help but grin as he pulled out a sheet of paper and quill, that always sat ready by his side, and took notes while Fred rambled on about his great idea.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"So yea I got another detention, but so what! I will just add it to my list," joked James while his cousin Fred and others walked with him to the Gryffindor common room.

Fred morphed in through a wall to join his hiding nephew. "He is coming!" shouted Fred happily. He added a little dance to put a smile on his nephew's face. Al looked pretty worried, but gave his uncle a small smile.

The two were now hiding on the steps when James walked in and shouted out angrily, "What the heck is this!"

All his friends laughed for on every wall laid moving posters of James going through several stages of childhood developments ranging from him crawling around with his butt bare to him running around naked covered in mud.

James grabbed one of him being potty trained, but when ripped it off his face was shot with shaving cream.

"How did you know he would go for that one?" whispered Al as James wiped the white foam from his face and tossed it to the floor with an angry splatter.

"I would have gone for that one first..." started Fred, but he stopped in time to hear James shout out:

"Who did this?" James turned to Fred II who rose his hands in a defensive pose. James then looked up at the stairs to only see his brother with a wide grin. "You did this?" Al nodded back happily at the same time Fred did. With a furious glare James ran to the steps, but Al did not cringe back. There was no need for when James stepped on the first step he was stuck in some type of glue.

Al cocked his head to the side casually and remarked, "Are you stuck brother?" James snarled an obscenity and attempted to take off his shoe, but thanks to his grip on the staircase his right hand was stuck also.

More laughter soared through the room as students entered the common room to see their prankster being pranked.

"I am going to kill you Al if you do not set me free," he whispered threateningly.

Al jumped up and walked down the steps to his brother, to the point they were face to face, with Fred by his side. James did not jump at the sight of Fred for his eyes were trained solely on Al; besides, Al had a feeling James could not see Fred or that he was hiding another item besides the rock.

"Sure," he stated in a defeated manner. James grinned only to have his smile transformed into horror as his brother dumped a pitcher on his head. Kids roared with louder laugher as James blushed. "Now you know how it feels. Good night brother." With that he turned on his heel and walked back upstairs. Fred sniffed at him before following Al.

"Great job, but make sure you watch your back!" commented Fred once Al sat on his bed in a content manner from earlier.

"Do you think I can summon you at anytime?" questioned Al.

Fred scratched his chin and puffed out his lips, "Well I have no idea how that rock thing works, so maybe. Now may I return back to the dead? I was supposed to join a pal for a chat."

Sadly, Al nodded and placed the rock down by his side. With a final wave Fred disappeared into nothing.

Al stuffed the rock under his mattress, closed his curtains- while putting on a charm so they could not be opened- from his dorm mates, and closed his eyes to hold back the tears. He had such a great time with his Uncle thinking of a prank, and for once he felt good.

"Maybe it is because being dead is great," he whispered to no one but for his own comfort. Al shook his head to get rid of the thought and replaced it with James' angry face covered in shaving cream. The image floated through his mind as he fell asleep with his glasses on and a grin his face.

_**Reviews are sweet!**_


	3. Two Wrongs Never Make a Right

_**To those who don't like Al and Scor slash, then you will be upset for it may happen soon.**_

_**Enjoy!**_

Chapter 3:

Two Wrongs Never Make a Right

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It took a lot of courage for Al to go to breakfast the next morning after his prank. His biggest fear was that James would retaliate in the worst way possible. Cautiously, he walked in to the common room to find it empty; once the close was clear he made his way to the Great Hall. As soon as he stepped inside several kids ran up to him and congratulated him on a job well done.

Grinning from ear to ear, Al happily soaked in the praise of his fellow classmates before sitting down with Rose who was eating breakfast while studying; flecks of milk splashed down her book but she paid no attention.

"I heard what you did," she stated as her cousin grabbed a bowl and poured oatmeal in it. "That was not kind even though he deserved it."

"So," replied Al determined that no one would stop his happy mood. He added liberal amounts of sugar and honey to his oatmeal before taking a large, and sweet, bite. "James deserved it after humiliating me in front of everyone."

Rose slammed her book to grab his attention. With his gaze trained to her arm she gestured around the entire room of gossiping students. "Do you see James in here at all? No because he is very upset to the point that all his friends and Fred ditched breakfast to cheer him up." Rose grabbed a quick bite of her buttered toast before pressing on, "Yes he was very cruel to you, but two wrongs do not make a right." She grabbed her book bag and shoved her book in it before withdrawing from the table leaving Al very alone.

After spending the rest of breakfast in silence, Al retrieved his bag from under the table-checked it to make sure no one stuck anything gross in it- and headed off towards the dungeons for potions.

Potions already turned out to be his least favorable class, but he actually had a talent at it. A month after school started he told his dad about this fact which his dad hurriedly replied, he knew it was in a hurry for Harry's writing was scribbled and on a napkin, that it was probably thanks to his grandmother Lily's genes and he was very busy.

"Hey Potter," called a voice from behind. Al turned around to see Scorpius Malfoy rushing towards him. His heart fluttered as Scorpius joined his side and they continued to walk together. "I heard what you did to James and I think that was cool!"

"Thanks," mumbled Al shyly.

"So did you finish that potions essay that is due tomorrow? I cannot decide whether I should switch mine to Bezoars stones or…" Scor prattled on while Al nodded his head and commented when necessary. First of all he did not start his essay thanks to his uncle Fred, secondly, there was something soothing about the way Scorpius spoke. His tone was casual but hinted at something mysterious.

Ever since the train ride for his first day, Al could not help but be enchanted by Scorpius Malfoy's obvious charm; his uncle Ron disliked Scor already and told Rose to beware of him while Harry silently encouraged him to befriend the boy.

Al wanted to but he had a feeling that he could never measure up to be in Scorpius' company. Besides it did not help that every time he looked at Scor his heart would stop momentarily at how handsome the boy looked. Now Al did like girls, but for Scor he would not mind changing.

The two kept up a steady conversation all the way to potions before splitting up to their appropriate sides. Al took the risk of sitting next to his cousin, but Rose appeared to be in a better mood; she was in such a good mood that she was smirking from the time Al and Scorpius entered to the time they parted.

"What is so amusing," he whispered while taking out the appropriate books.

Rose scribbled down some last minutes notes on her essay before replying smoothly, "Oh nothing Al. Nothing at all…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"If I were you I would start your essay," reminded Rose as they entered the common room together. Al swept the room with his eyes for his brother, whom he had not seen all day, while Rose continued, "You were the only one who did not at least start their essay."

Nodding, Al walked up the stairs, skipping the first step and not touching the handrail, to his room which was peacefully deserted. He collapsed on is bed and rubbed his tired eyes. Al then reached in his bag for his book, a quill, parchment, and ink when he noticed the rock. After extracting the items for his essay he grabbed the rock and placed it by his side. A weird urge to call upon his uncle swept over him, but he ignored it, placed the rock carefully by his side, and started to write the essay.

After finishing half a scroll Al took a break and grabbed the rock in his hands. "Should I call him?" he asked to his own being feeling quite stupid for doing so. The rock glinted on the little sunlight that streamed in from his window. "Okay one quick joke with Uncle Fred and then I will get back to work," he reasoned. He turned the rock over three times and watched as another misty being appeared in front of him.

However it was not his freckled and fun loving Uncle, but a man in long robes with long hair, possibly once black for it was a darker shade of grey, gaunt eyes and a noticeable bite wound, probably from a snake, on his neck.

"You are n-not F-fred Weasley," stammered Al.

The man looked very annoyed at his obvious observation. "Well I would hope not. Who would ever want to be such a disrespectful person?" His tone leaked with hostile venom.

Al fought back the urge to drop the rock and summon someone else, but the sight of this man reminded him of some portrait he saw in one of the corridors. "Who are you?"

"Of course I figured a dull child like you would not know," started the man at how cruel he sounded, "I am Severus Snape."

"My n-namesake!"

Snape faltered at this piece of information. He shook his head, to regain his composure, and replied, "Only noble Potter, and if he married that Weasley girl, would think about naming his son such a name." Snape floated back in forth while trying to think of a reason for Harry Potter's actions.

"Actually my name is Albus Severus," admitted Al.

"Wow Potter is very clever," remarked Snape offhandedly. Al covered his mouth to stifle a giggle for he did have to agree with this Snape person; his father and mother simply reused names of close people and friends instead of thinking of newer ones. "To be honest I never liked your father and I loathed his father before him, but I did respect Harry Potter. I also owed his mother after doing her wrong and promised to watch over your father."

Al was very shocked at how Snape's tone changed from hostile and cruel to something more tolerable. "Why did you hate my grandfather," prompted Al hungering for more information.

"Your grandfather did me wrong with his constant teasing and then he took her away from me…" Snape trailed off and went silent. He looked Al straight in his emerald eyes and whispered, "I have no idea why I should tell you all this, but I can tell that you are considerably different than others."

"I am," Al replied to soothe Snape. Snape raised an eyebrow before turning away from him. "I also know what it feels like to be taunted, but my older brother James, but then I got him back…"

"You sought out revenge," interrupted Snape for Al had his attention once more. Al nodded and waited for more praise. "That is the dumbest most idiotic thing I ever heard of!" Snape floated up to the boy and leaned in so they were eye to eye, "Trust me when I say that revenge is never the answer for one day you could lose the one you loved most!"

Snape floated away and took a seat on a random boy's bed. He stared out Al with much disgust that he could muster at a person.

"My uncle Fred told me I should have pranked him back for what he did to me."

Snape rolled his eyes at the mention of Fred. "Of course Fred Weasley would say that," he sneered. "Only I, and many other souls, have realized that revenge gets you nowhere. Now I suggest you get comfortable for I have a tale for you."

Al shoved his school thing off his bed, except for the ink that he placed on his nightstand, and leaned up against his wall eagerly with the rock nestled tightly in his grip.

Snape waited patiently for him to finished and started, "When I was a teen your grandfather took it in his own hands to tease me one day. I retaliated, but that move only received more harm from your grandfather. Of course I was angry but that anger spilled over to your grandmother and I called her a name that I refuse to utter again." Snape stopped to assess what he just said; Al watched as Snape stood up from the bed and resumed his pacing from before. "Maybe your grandfather deserved what I did to him, but one must go back to the first time I got my revenge leading your grandfather to get his own revenge." Passionately Snape started to use hand gestures to emphasis his point, "All this revenge did was build up a well of anger that overfilled on to a person who had stolen my heart. Now she went off with him leaving me alone in the dark."

An urge to hug Snape overcame Al but he figured that Snape could not be hugged, and even if he could hug the man Snape did not look like the hugging type.

"I understand what you mean," commented Al in an effort to lift the spell of silence after Snape's monologue.

Snape hunched his shoulders over and stopped pacing. "Basically to sum up what I just told you is two wrongs will never make a right."

Al held back a rude snort, "my cousin Rose told me that."

"Who is that?" questioned Snape. Al informed him of Rose's parentage and once he was done Snape could not hold back a smirk. "I am very shocked that Weasley had such morals, but maybe Granger calmed him."

"So are you saying I should apologize to him?" asked Al.

Snape stared at him as though he was dumb, again, but this time his stare also held a small bit of respect that he was not ashamed to hide in his ghostly eyes. "I am saying it would be the brightest thing for you to do," he concluded with a cross of his arms giving Al the impression of a huge bat.

"Okay," sighed Al as he slowly loosened his grip on the rock. "Also thank you very much for the advice," he added for his parents always made sure he had proper manners; even though manners failed to sink in with James.

"You're welcome," he paused and shuddered slightly, "I never thought I would say this to a Potter, but I was happy to give you such advice." He shuddered again inciting Al to chuckle as he dropped the rock; Snape disappeared as fast as he came leaving Al alone to his thoughts.

"I will apologize to James tomorrow," he stated. Al took off his glasses and glanced briefly at his discarded essay; his usual feeling of having to get his homework done evaporated once he placed the rock in its hiding space before falling fast asleep.

_**Good lesson Snape.**_


End file.
